What Are The Odds Of Winning At Video Poker?
What are the odds of winning at video poker? Simply put, there are general odds for standard games, which change depending on the version of video poker you’re playing. Then, you have to factor in the “return to player” (RTP) percentage to get a full picture.
All types of casino games, like video poker, carry odds of winning and losing, based on statistics and gameplay. These chances of winning are an indicator of what you could win. But, it’s not a guarantee of getting big payouts from video poker.
So, how can you calculate the odds of winning at video poker? Usually, the chances are 1 in 649 740 for a royal flush. While a straight flush is 72 193 to 1, four of a kind is 4165 to 1, and so on.
Odds of Winning: RTP, House Edge, and Initial Chances
Unlike slot machines, video poker gives players more chances of winning with the RTP. This is also known as the payback percentage and will be advertised by a casino. On average, video poker players can expect an RTP of 97%-99% from the gaming machines. Meanwhile, slots range between 70%-98%, which is a wide margin of error and loss for you.
When considering the payback percentage, we recommend also checking the casino house edge for the machine. On a video poker game with a 99.54% payback, the house edge is usually 0.46%. Often, this is the percentage taken by the casino to keep operating.
If the RTP is not displayed on the casino, you can check the paytables of the game for clarity. These indicate how much the game pays for a full house, royal flush, or any other combination. In the table below, we’ve listed the expected returns for a full pay Jacks or Better game.
In the paytable, the game has a 99.54% return, based on a 9/6 Jacks or Better title:
| 9/6 Video Poker Pay Tables | |||||
| Coins | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Jacks or Better | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Two Pair | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Three of a Kind | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 15 |
| Straight | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
| Flush | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Full House | 9 | 18 | 27 | 36 | 45 |
| Four of a Kind | 25 | 50 | 75 | 100 | 125 |
| Straight Flush | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
| Royal Flush | 250 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 4000 |
And these are your initial odds of getting any of the hands in 52-card games:
How to Improve Your Chances of Winning
According to our experts, the best way to improve your odds of winning is to practice on free games. Many websites let you play demo video pokers that are the same as the real money versions. So, while you practice, study the paytables, test a video poker strategy or two, and see how much you win.